Can dispensers of the type described above are used in particular as beverage vending machines, and are known in various embodiments. U.S. Pat. No. 6,173,582 B1 discloses, for example, a beverage vending machine in which a conveyor section is formed along which cans of drink roll along from a filling opening to a removal opening due to the force of gravity, and in so doing are cooled. In the region of the removal opening a dispensing flap is provided which can pivot between a closed position, in which it closes the removal opening, and a dispensing position, in which it is possible to remove a can from the can dispenser. The dispensing flap has a receptacle here on its inner side in which the lowermost can rolls in the conveyor section when the dispensing flap is in its closed position. If the flap is opened, the receptacle pivots with it such that the can lying in it can be removed.
The manipulation of the known can dispenser is partially considered to be laborious. This is because when the dispensing flap is open, the can lying on it is still partially within the can dispenser, and so can only be removed with difficulty. Filling the appliance with new cans is also complex because first of all a flap closing the filling opening has to be opened, and then the cans must be placed individually into the can dispenser.